November 13, 1805
November 13th Wednesday 1805 Some intervales of fair weather last
night, rain and wind Continue this morning, as we are in a Cove & the
Mountains verry high & Pine Spruce verry high & thick Cannot deturmine
the procise course of the winds. I walked to the top of the first part
of the mountain with much fatigue as the distance was about 3 miles
thro intolerable thickets of Small Pine, arrow wood a groth much
resembling arrow wood with briers, growing to 10 & 15 feet high
interlocking with each other & Furn, aded to this difficulty the hill
was So Steep that I was obliged to drawing my Self up in many places by
the bowers, the Countrey Continues thick and hilley as far back a I
could See. Some Elk Sign, rained all day moderately. I am wet &c. &c.
The Hail which fell 2 night past is yet to be Seen on the mountain on
which I was to day. I Saw a Small red Berry which grows on a Stem of
about 6 or 8 Inches from the Ground, in bunches and in great quantity
on the Mountains, the taste insiped. I saw a number of verry large
Spruce Pine one of which I measured 14 feet around and verry tall. My
principal objects in assdg. this mountain was to view the river below,
the weather being So Cloudey & thick that I could not See any distance
down, discovered the wind high from the N. W. and waves high at a Short
distance below our Encampment, (Squar displeased with me for not sin &c
&c. Wap-lo a excellent root which is rosted and tastes like a potato I
Cut my hand despatched 3 men in a Indian canoe (which is calculated to
ride high Swells) down to examine if they can find the Bay at the mouth
& good barbers below for us to proceed in Safty. The fides at every Hud
come in with great Swells & Breake against the rocks & Drift trees with
great fury— the rain Continue all the evening nothing to eate but
Pounded fish which we have as a reserve See Store, and what Pore fish
we can kill up the branch on which we are encamped our canoe and the
three men did not return this evening— if we were to have cold weather
to accompany the rain which we have had for this 6 or 8 days passed we
must eneviatilbly Suffer verry much as Clothes are Scerce with us.
November 13th Wednesday 1805
Some intervales of fair weather last night, rain continue this morning.
I walked up the Brook & assended the first Spur of the mountain with
much fatigue, the distance about 3 miles, through an intolerable
thickets of Small pine, a groth much resembling arrow wood on the Stem
of which there is thorns; this groth about 12 or 15 feet high inter
lockd into each other and Scattered over the high fern & fallen timber,
added to this the hills were So Steep that I was compelled to draw my
Self up by the assistance of those bushes— The Timber on those hills
are of the pine Species large and tall maney of them more than 200 feet
high & from 8 to 10 feet through at the Stump those hills & as far back
as I could See, I Saw Some Elk Sign, on the Spur of the mountain tho
not fresh. I killed a Salmon trout on my return. The Hail which fell 2
nights past is yet to be Seen on the mountains; I Saw in my ramble to
day a red berry resembling Solomons Seal berry which the nativs call
Sol-me and use it to eate. my principal object in assending this
mountain was to view the countrey below, the rain continuing and
weather proved So Cloudy that I could not See any distance on my return
we dispatched 3 men Colter, Willard and Shannon in the Indian canoe to
get around the point if possible and examine the river, and the Bay
below for a god barber for our Canoes to lie in Safty &c. The tide at
every floot tide Came with great swells brakeing against the rocks &
Drift trees with great fury The rain Continue all day. nothing to eate
but pounded fish which we Keep as a reserve and use in Situations of
this kind.
